May 1, 2009

Intelligent Mail^® Services Weekly Update

Address Correction Services – On May 11, we will implement new Service Type Identifiers in the Intelligent Mail barcode that may change how you receive address change information. If you are currently using a Full-Service Option Service Type ID on your mailpieces and wish to continue to receive your ACS data through OneCode ACS, you will need to change your Service Type ID to a Basic Option Service Type ID starting May 11. If you are using Full-Service option Service Type IDs and have any concerns about your OneCode ASC fulfillment email acs@usps.gov for assistance. Once you have completed your Full-Service testing and are approved to move out of the Test Environment for Mailers (TEM), you can convert to a Full-Service Option Service Type ID and receive your data through the Full-Service option. For more information on how to use ACS with the Full-Service option see A Guide to Intelligent Mail for Letters and Flats on RIBBS.

PostalOne! and FAST® Outages – We are preparing PostalOne! release 20 to support the price change on May 11 and the Test Environment for the Intelligent Mail Full-Service option on May 18. A system-wide outage for PostalOne! is needed from 4 p.m. on May 10 to 4 a.m. (CDT) on May 11. During these outages mailers cannot access PostalOne! or submit electronic mailing documentation. Mailers should review their file submission processes and make arrangements for these outages.

In conjunction with PostalOne!, FAST WebServices will not be accessible. However, FAST online scheduling will be available except for a four-hour maintenance window on May 10, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (CDT). Mailers who wish to schedule appointments online outside of the four-hour maintenance window must log directly into FAST through https://fast.usps.com. Mailers will not be able to schedule appointments electronically using TM/Mail.XML. Please call the PostalOne! help desk at 1-800-522-9085 or your local FAST facility coordinator if you have questions.

PostalOne! Release 20 Testing Update – We will complete testing for PostalOne! release 20 on May 6. Mailers who wish to test Mail.dat 8-1, 8-2, and 9-1 need to do so via the Test Environment for Mailers (TEM) starting on May 18. Mailers wishing to test the Full-Service option capability using Mail.dat need to submit Mail.dat version 9-1 in the Test Environment and follow the steps outlined in Intelligent Mail and Electronic Documentation: Ready, Set, Go available on RIBBS. We will post an updated version of User Access to Mailing Information and Reports guide May 8 on RIBBS. This version provides greater details on accessing the TEM and how mailer user accounts will be migrated for accessing the TEM environment. 

We will post the PostalOne! 20 Release Notes on RIBBS and on the PostalOne! website on May 6. These notes include anomalies and outstanding issues noted in PostalOne! release 20, and workarounds when available.

Business Customer Gateway/PostalOne! – Effective May 11, mailers will enter the Business Customer Gateway to access PostalOne!, electronic Verification System (eVS), TEM, FAST®, Intelligent Mail information (including Mailer ID applications), Full-Service feedback reports, and much more. PostalOne! and FAST users who logged in through the PostalOne! logon page between March 30 and April 15 can use their existing usernames and passwords to access the Business Customer Gateway starting May 11. Those who didn't log in but responded to the security question will be able to log in to the new Business Customer Gateway with their existing usernames but must change their passwords. Users should validate that their profile includes a valid e-mail address, or they will be unable to change their passwords after May 11 and must re-register. All others need to register through the Business Customer Gateway as a new user.

We planned a series of webinars to introduce mailers to the Business Customer Gateway. These webinars will describe how existing users of PostalOne!, eVS  and FAST will be migrated to the new Business Customer Gateway to access the functions they have traditionally accessed via PostalOne! and FAST. We will conduct these sessions from May 4 through May 8 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (EDT) .The webinar links and dial-in information are posted on RIBBS, click on Intelligent Mail Latest News.

Mailer IDs – In preparation for the new Business Customer Gateway and the new online process for acquiring Mailer IDs, we cannot issue Mailer IDs through May 10. This includes Mailer IDs for OneCode ACS, OneCode Confirm, Package Services, and Intelligent Mail barcodes. Mailers can use the new online tool to acquire Mailer IDs starting May 11. We explain the new online process in the updated User Access to Electronic Mailing Information and Reports on RIBBS. Mailers should continue to access the Confirm and ACS help desks to attain Mailer IDs as necessary.

Barcode Readability Verification Threshold – We will restore the three-tiered barcode readability verification threshold for letter and flat mailpieces bearing Intelligent Mail barcodes through November 2009. Mailings that are run on MERLIN and have a barcode readability score of 90 percent or higher will pass verification. Mailings that that have a barcode readability score of 80 - 89 percent will be assessed additional postage based on the percentage of pieces in the mailing that failed verification. Mailings that have a barcode readability score below 80 percent will fail the barcode readability verification and have additional postage assessed for all of the automation price pieces in the mailing. Mailers in this last category will have the choice to either withdraw their mailing or pay the applicable additional postage.

Updated Guides – We updated the A Guide to Intelligent Mail for Letters and Flats on April 27 to clarify how to use Service Type Codes in the Intelligent Mail barcode.